Cincinnati prepares for the opening of its newest magnet school in Walnut Hills

Hundreds of contractors were working around the clock Tuesday to make sure the new Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students will be ready for Aug. 16, when its first-ever group of students arrives. Principal Nina Ginocchio said her 225 new pupils, ranging from third to eighth graders, will arrive from 35 sending schools all over the city. "They're going to be meeting students from across the city they may not have had a chance to ever learn from or worth with, and I think our students have a lot to learn from each other," she said. All of these students are those who test near or above indicators for 'gifted' learners, meaning they could benefit from additional academic services meant to foster their natural talents. "The idea here was to offer additional choices for parents of CPS students and make real the promise of equity," Ginocchio said. "The more choices parents have, the better opportunities our students have." Think you might have an eligible student who could benefit from time at the Spencer Center? Ginocchio said the school can accommodate 100 more students. "If you live within CPS area, you apply during magnet lottery, which happened in February, March (and) into May," she said. "Right now, you can call the customer help center at CPS. They can let you know if there are spaces remaining and the course of eligibility would confirm if the student is eligible to this seat."